Fears of a new "super snake" emerging in the Everglades grew this week during a hunt to track South Florida's invasive python population.

A three-day, state-coordinated hunt that started Tuesday so far netted at least five African rock pythons — including one 14-foot-long female — in a targeted area in Miami-Dade County.

Those findings add to concerns that the rock python is a new breeding population in the Everglades and not just the result of a few overgrown pets released into the wild, according to the South Florida Water Management District.

In addition, state environmental officials worry that the rock python could breed with the Burmese python, which already has an established foothold in the Everglades. That could lead to a new "super snake," said George Horne, district deputy executive director.

In Africa, the rock python eats everything from goats to crocodiles. There have been cases of the snakes killing children.

"They are bigger and meaner than the Burmese python. … It's not good news," said Deborah Drum, deputy director for the district's restoration sciences department. ...
link (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-breeding-snakes-20100113,0,327716.story)

That should make a great disaster movie. :D

Gingersnap

01-15-2010, 04:00 PM

But do they taste good? I've eaten rattlesnake and it does taste like factory chicken. If they gutted, skinned, and cold-packed these guys, I'd give them a culinary shot.

bijou

01-15-2010, 04:03 PM

But do they taste good? I've eaten rattlesnake and it does taste like factory chicken. If they gutted, skinned, and cold-packed these guys, I'd give them a culinary shot.

In that case, with the right spices, they could make a tasty 'chicken' dish. The vegan contingent may whine though. :D

Gingersnap

01-15-2010, 04:06 PM

In that case, with the right spices, they could make a tasty 'chicken' dish. The vegan contingent may whine though. :D

Meh, who cares? In the coming glacial age, vegetarians will be a footnote.

megimoo

01-15-2010, 04:28 PM

But do they taste good? I've eaten rattlesnake and it does taste like factory chicken. If they gutted, skinned, and cold-packed these guys, I'd give them a culinary shot.Best warn the snakes about Shannon !

FlaGator

01-15-2010, 06:24 PM

In that case, with the right spices, they could make a tasty 'chicken' dish. The vegan contingent may whine though. :D

snake turkey ham. mmmmmm

Apache

01-15-2010, 06:32 PM

snake turkey ham. mmmmmm

By all that is Holy...I REBUKE THEE :mad:

:D:p

marv

01-15-2010, 09:56 PM

snake turkey ham. mmmmmm
Don't tell PETA.............

Articulate_Ape

01-16-2010, 01:04 AM

snake turkey ham. mmmmmm

Snam.

Rockntractor

01-16-2010, 01:08 AM

Meh, who cares? In the coming glacial age, vegetarians will be a footnote.

Vegetarians may become a good source of meat!

bijou

01-16-2010, 05:33 AM

Snam.

Heh. Thread winner! :D

Sonnabend

01-16-2010, 08:50 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU2YdPsETXo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f21yoJRKBu8&feature=related

SaintLouieWoman

01-16-2010, 01:33 PM

I''ve handled some of the pythons at the Children's Zoo. I can't let the visitors know how nervous I get. The boas aren't a piece of cake handling either. The constricting power of those snakes is awesome. And we just handle some of the 6 footers. :eek:

djones520

01-16-2010, 01:34 PM

I''ve handled some of the pythons at the Children's Zoo. I can't let the visitors know how nervous I get. The boas aren't a piece of cake handling either. The constricting power of those snakes is awesome. And we just handle some of the 6 footers. :eek:

I used to go to a pet store that let Pythons roam freely. I loved them. I was also 10 at the time. Don't know if I'd be as comfortable with them now a days.

SaintLouieWoman

01-16-2010, 01:40 PM

I used to go to a pet store that let Pythons roam freely. I loved them. I was also 10 at the time. Don't know if I'd be as comfortable with them now a days.

My sons had a 5 foot long boa that escaped in our house. I was terrified til they found it, had problems sleeping at night. :D They teased me a lot that I would never pick up the snake, then learned to handle them when I became a docent/animal handler at the zoo. It was a requirement to pass animal handling class, so had to overcome my fears. I still get nervous when they have a larger snake to handle, but have no problems with the king snakes or corn snakes or smaller constrictors.

RobJohnson

01-16-2010, 01:47 PM

My sons had a 5 foot long boa that escaped in our house. I was terrified til they found it, had problems sleeping at night. :D They teased me a lot that I would never pick up the snake, then learned to handle them when I became a docent/animal handler at the zoo. It was a requirement to pass animal handling class, so had to overcome my fears. I still get nervous when they have a larger snake to handle, but have no problems with the king snakes or corn snakes or smaller constrictors.

I'm not sure I could pick up a snake, I don't really like them enough to get that close.

I handled a couple on "field trips" as a kid, but not since then.

I've some pretty large snakes just a few feet from me here in Nevada, but I felt no need to touch them. :D